Madeira: Levada do Risco PR6-1 – Levada das 25 Fontes PR6

Portugal

Ferran Pérez

09/06/2020

Madeira: Levada do Risco PR6-1 – Levada das 25 Fontes PR6

We start the route from the Parking del Rabaçal, located at the top of the ERR105 road and easily identified by the indications of the 25 Fontes path.

We start going down a small paved track that brings you closer to the Casa de Rabaçal. This first section can be done with minibuses that bring you closer to the house and that have a high frequency. But we, as we have come to play sports. We don’t even think about it.

Almost reaching the house and avoiding the last bend in the road, we take the 200 m path PR-6.2 Casa do Rabaçal. We have already entered part of the Laurisilva forest of Madeira, classified in 1999 as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

From there we take the first levada, which are narrow U-shaped water pipes. We continue walking, along the variant of the PR6-1 Levada do Risco trail. It is a path parallel to the levada at 1000 m above sea level, approaching an impressive waterfall, which falls vertically creating a ridge in the rock. Once seen and photographed, we make our way until we return to the detour and continue along the PR-6 Levada das 25 Fontes. Another long levada that takes us to visit Lagoa das 25 Fontes, 25 water springs created by the waters coming down from Paul da Serra.

Like the other levada. Once the 25 sources have been seen and counted. We undo the road following the indications for the PR-6 trail towards Calheta ER211. That takes us through the long Tunnel do Rabaçal that transports the water from both levadas and flows into the Calheta Hydroelectric Dam and continues to irrigate agricultural lands. It should be noted that lighting is necessary to cross the tunnel, although the mobile flashlight is enough. The exit of the tunnel is on the south face of the island of Madeira completely leaving behind the Laurisilva forests.

Now we only have to continue along the track to Calheta on the ERR211 road. Now we only have to walk along the ERR211 with its steep climb to the starting point and parking where we have left the car.